


A Warlock and a Knight

by Impala_Cherry_Trickster



Series: Merlin Prompts [60]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Confused Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Feels, Fluff, Good Morgana (Merlin), Gwaine Being Gwaine (Merlin), Gwaine Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), M/M, Merlin is a Little Shit, Pranks and Practical Jokes, Protective Gwaine (Merlin), Protective Merlin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:07:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26628766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Impala_Cherry_Trickster/pseuds/Impala_Cherry_Trickster
Summary: Gwaine's got some rules when it comes to living in Camelot, and they usually revolve around Merlin
Relationships: Gwaine/Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Merlin Prompts [60]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1706692
Comments: 18
Kudos: 386





	A Warlock and a Knight

**Author's Note:**

> A piece for tumblr, that I've posted here as well :)

Gwaine only had a couple of rules for living in Camelot. As someone who never settled down, it was important to remember that he could only wind the Princess up so much, before he snapped. That was rule number one.

Most of the other rules orientated around Merlin. The secret-sorcerer was his main focus of attention, and the reason he stayed in Camelot. Call it whatever it was, loyalty, friendship, or something a lot stronger, Gwaine was staying in Camelot to keep him safe. After all, if Merlin was going to keep running into dangerous situations to protect the Princess, it was only fair that someone returned the favour.

‘Morning, mate.’ Gwaine called, stretching out slowly as the sun was allowed into the room. Merlin rolled his eyes, just as he did most mornings after Gwaine was at the Rising Sun.

‘Did you drink away the King’s coin again, Gwaine?’ It was the way Merlin said his name, the teasing fondness that Gwaine hadn't had in a long time… It made Merlin worth everything to him. Not that he’d say that aloud, settling for climbing out of the bed and staggering across to him.

‘Only enough to woo the ladies, Merls.’ If Merlin knew how last night had actually gone, with Percival and Elyan coming to fetch him after he started spilling affectionate remarks towards a certain blue-eyed man, this would be a very different conversation.

‘Arthur wants you at training.’ Arthur this, Arthur that. If Gwaine wasn’t sworn to protect the idiot, he’d probably hate him. Instead, he had decided to begrudgingly respect the man that kept Merlin safe. Even if Arthur could not say he respected Merlin’s bravery, all the Knights knew it to be true.

‘Will you join me on patrols tonight?’ Gwaine didn’t know where the question had come from, just that it slipped out before he could even think to stop it. The sorcerer startled, blushed slightly, before nodding.

‘I’ll meet you at the eastern gate?’

**

Merlin watched the approaching emblem with a sense of fear, looking sneakily over his shoulder to note that Gwaine had retreated to the shadows. The House of Caerleon, Queen Annis herself arriving at Arthur’s Court. This couldn’t be good, and from the warning glance that Lady Morgana sent his way, they both knew it.

‘Queen Annis. I must say, this is an unexpected pleasure.’ It could only be a threat to Albion, which meant Merlin was needed. The Warlock sighed, hiding in Arthur’s shadow and glancing to Lancelot, then to the King’s sister. They may know his secrets, but they didn’t know Gwaine’s.

‘If only I could call this a social call, King Arthur.’ Merlin moved back towards the Castle steps, knew that Morgana would smoothly brush over his absence.

He had too many people to look after. Gwen was going to be under scrutiny from the visiting Queen, Morgana’s Magic might be exposed. Then there was Gwaine, who had been the son of one of Caerleon’s Knights, meaning Queen Annis could potentially recognise him.

Luckily, he knew where to find him. Gwaine was a predictable man, and when upset or threatened, he’d often try to cover it by jokes. So, Merlin’s first stop was to the kitchen, where he found Gwaine hassling the cook out of a plate of pastries.

‘Want to talk about it?’ Merlin asked, cocking his head to the side when Gwaine turned to him with a mouthful of food.

‘Nope.’ He mumbled, pastry flakes dusting down his armour.

**

Gwaine had been avoiding his duties as a Knight for three days now. Three days, spent following Merlin around while the sorcerer tried not to reveal his Magic. It was quite funny to watch, how had nobody figured out he had gifts? Well, nobody but Lancelot, Morgana and Gaius. Those three were like parents, scolding him every time his eyes flashed golden in Camelot’s walls.

‘This is such a bad idea.’ Merlin whispered, crawling up to the space beside Gwaine while they watched Sir Elyan’s door. It was his turn to be pranked, Gwaine decided, and had invited along his best friend for the joy of it.

It was rather a bad idea, Gwaine concluded, in this confined space they had to lie in. The walls revealed passages that could be used to get around Camelot, something Gwaine had learned when Merlin first showed him.

So, they were pressed from head to foot, or shoulder to shoulder in this case, waiting for Elyan to leave his room.

‘You didn’t have to come.’ Gwaine shot back, ducking his head closer to the sorcerer. Merlin’s lips twitched up at the corners, mischief and chaos if he’d ever seen it.

‘You needed cheering up.’ A friend that cared more for others than he did for himself.

‘And you need to learn to have fun.’ Gwaine shot back, watching the door in front of them leave, and Elyan vanish.

‘Did you get the chickens?’

**

Merlin tried to hide his laughter as Gwaine put the last chicken into the room, talking to them like they were people. Elyan’s room was a mess, feathers all over the place and the birds clucking away as they explored his room.

‘We need to leave, before Elyan comes back.’ Merlin prompted, rushing to the door and reaching for the handle.

Gwaine followed, only to trip over one of the damned chickens that they’d carried all the way through the Castle, heading straight for the weapons that Elyan had in the corner of his room.

He didn’t need to think to stretch his hand out, catching Gwaine before he could hit the weapons.

The Warlock startled, realised that Gwaine was still hovering, and the Knight looked across to him with the biggest grin Merlin had ever seen.

‘Think of all the things we could do with that.’ Gwaine’s eyebrows wriggled, and any worry he’d felt slipped away as quickly as it had come.

**

Gwaine was the one to find Merlin that night, even if he hadn't been aware that the Warlock was going to sneak out. His friend was slumped against the wall of the Castle, his jacket torn to shreds and blood seeping out from under it. It was dark outside, enough to hide the Knight as he scooped up the Warlock to take him to Gaius.

The Physician wasn’t impressed that Gwaine knew of Merlin’s secret, but after he promised not to tell a soul, the man allowed him to stay by the Warlock’s side. It was accompanied by a bowl of water and a rag, so he began the steady process of cleaning what he could, ignoring the marks that covered Merlin’s torso.

Friends. If he kept convincing himself that it was enough, that he could live a life where he had to watch Merlin get hurt on repeat without doing anything, then it would be fine.

‘Gwaine?’ Croaked out, broken, and Gwaine was there in a heartbeat.

‘S’okay, mate, I’m here.’

**

‘Gwaine.’

‘Yes, Princess?’ Merlin took a half-step closer to the Knight, determined to make sure he didn’t feel alone. Queen Annis bowed her head in apology, while the King sighed.

‘You’re a noble.’ The other Round Table Knights had fallen silent, shocked, or betrayed. Guinevere was staring at him like she’d never seen him before, even Morgana’s usual sarcasm was gone. Gwaine stayed silent, but Merlin could see his hand trembling, stepped forward and let his fingers link with the Knight’s.

‘From a noble family that fought for King Caerleon.’ Arthur continued, staring at the joined hands. Merlin squeezed, was surprised when Gwaine looked across at him.

‘I’m a Knight of Camelot.’ He answered, eyes never leaving Merlin’s, and the Warlock smiled.

‘A title he’s earned.’ Merlin added, glancing to Arthur with his best pleading expression. The King just stared at the two of them, Gwen smiled warmly, and Morgana chuckled.

‘Well, brother, that seems to have sorted that issue.’ She turned to Queen Annis and offered out her arm, the two leaving the room. A beat of silence fell, before Arthur slumped back into his throne, dismissing the two of them.

**

‘You stood up for me.’ Gwaine kept facing the wall of his room, waiting for the panic to set in. For anything, other than the warmth in the pit of his stomach that came when he thought of Merlin. The Warlock shut the door, turning the lock and then taking a step closer.

If he looked at him, he wasn’t sure he could hide how he was currently feeling.

‘Why wouldn’t I? We’re… friends.’ It was the pause that had Gwaine turning, looking up at the Warlock and finding the concern mixed with… something else. Something that had Gwaine moving to him before he could stop, closing the distance between them.

‘I never wanted to be a noble.’ He murmured, while Merlin’s gentle fingers were back against his, entwined.

‘You earned your title, Gwaine. You’re a good person, nothing like…’ Merlin trailed off, not just because of the unspoken truths that Gwaine had told him. The Knight was caught, stuck staring into the bright eyes of the Warlock, studying the sharp cheekbones and the smile, the dark hair and the tinge of red that grew the longer Gwaine stared.

‘What did I ever do to deserve you, Merls?’ He reached out, surprised that he was allowed to touch without the Warlock pulling away. Could cradle his face, watch as the Warlock smirked slightly.

‘Maybe you can make it up to me?’ Merlin shot back, and Gwaine answered by closing the space between them.


End file.
